League Cup Preview: We're Well up for it

Stuart McCall can't wait to get going against Hamilton Accies tonight at New Douglas Park

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When it comes to derby matches, few in football boast a more impressive CV than Stuart McCall.

The Motherwell manager has experience in West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Old Firm, Sheffield and Auld Enemy clashes, and tonight he leads his side to New Douglas Park for only his third taste of the Lanarkshire dust-up since taking charge of the Steelmen in January 2011.

Indeed, McCall’s first match in the claret and amber hot-seat came against Accies in a drab 0-0 game on New Year’s Day of that year.

His memories of that forgettable draw may not be the fondest, but he fully expects a fierce encounter between the two this time in the first of a double header between the two – tonight being a League Cup tie before they meet again on League duty at Fir Park on Saturday.

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He said: “For a derby, it was quite mild and meek, but I don’t think it will be like that tonight.

“Their camp are saying that everyone is looking forward to it – and so they should be – but there’s a real desire and determination from our lads too.”

Motherwell’s record in cup competitions in recent years has been anything but good since they reached the Scottish Cup Final in McCall’s first season but the manager insists there is a real determination to at last give the Fir Park faithful some joy in those tournaments this time around.

“It’s something we want to put right, but this is probably the toughest tie we could have got given the seedings,” McCall continued.

“You want to have a bit of success and get to Hampden and people look back at the likes of St Mirren , St Johnstone and Kilmarnock and ask if they can do it why can’t we?

“There is a lot to be said about winning football matches, however, and certainly in the last three years for as much as we would love to have done better in the cups, we’ve been consistently winning games in the league.”

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Motherwell go into tonight’s game on the back of a 2-1 win at Ross County last week and a spirited 1-1 draw at Celtic Park on Sunday.

McCall added: “I did say we would get stronger, and last week and the week before we had 16 players in training on the Monday – normally we’ve only had eight or nine.”

“Two or three years ago everyone knew our team – not because we were totally injury free but because everyone was playing at a level where they kept their jersey. We’re not at that level yet, but we’re in a healthier state.”

Meanwhile, Well goalkeeper Dan Twardzik has expressed frustration at tomorrow night’s clash being played on a synthetic surface.

He said: “I’ve had no issues with playing on a plastic pitch but I think Scottish and British football is known for good pitches so I was a bit disappointed that astro turf surfaces are being used here.

“You are on it for 90 minutes but there’s not much difference for a goalkeeper.

“Maybe afterwards you are a bit more tired because it’s harder and you need to jump on it.”